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ReGIonAL RoUnD-UP

Spanish inquisition

puts EU metals

supply under the

microscope

Steven Turner
pain’s mining sector was galvanised last supplied from Russia.
Smonth after the country’s Parliament In the wake of Russia’s invasion of
overwhelmingly voted to uphold laws that Ukraine – and the trade sanctions and sup- “We’re seeing it on the food and energy
have been in place for nearly 50 years. ply chain disruptions which have followed side and we think we’ll see it on the supply
The landslide 283-36 vote was in re- – Turner said Spain could be experiencing of raw critical metals. These are real, genu-
sponse to an unsuccessful attempt by the a wake-up call right now to procure its own ine risks that we have flagged for some time
democratic socialist Unidas Podemos party critical metals. but the invasion of Ukraine – we imagine –
to impose stronger legacy responsibilities “Commodities like tungsten have been on should be a catalyst for moving people for-
on existing and future miners, a move that the critical metals list for a long time because ward.”
would potentially make it more difficult to get of its high concentration from China and a Since the uplift of demand for battery min-
a project off the ground. substantial amount from Russia,” he said. erals such as lithium and nickel, the Euro-
Steven Turner, managing director of “We feel that a domestic supply is the solu- pean Union has mobilised to better secure
Spanish tin and tungsten explorer Rafaella tion to Europe’s issues. It mitigates that con- its supply, access and processing of such
Resources Ltd, believes the support from centration of supply and it addresses where commodities.
Parliament to sustain the laws was ironically the source of the material is and that’s im- Some of the European Commission’s
symbolic of change. portant when you’re looking at human rights goals include making Europe more com-
“What is important petitive as an industry for
about that vote is it was critical minerals supply,
overwhelmingly from stimulating its production
the whole Parliament,” and recycling of metals,
Turner told Paydirt. “It’s increasing awareness of
a very rare occasion in the potential supply risks
Spain when opposition and negotiating stronger
and government vote to- trade agreements for sup-
gether. But this time they ply of critical metals.
came tougher and, in that Turner thinks strate-
statement, recognised gies like the European
the importance of critical Raw Materials Alliance
metals and mining.” (ERMA) could go a long
Spain has a long his- way in streamlining the
tory in tungsten mining approvals process for
that dates back through mines and projects such
the 20th century. The as Rafaella’s and those in
metal is important for the the future like it.
auto industry and in the “There’s a big push
production of electrodes, from the EU and Euro-
cathode ray tubes and pean Commission to try
other high-density mate- and address the supply
rials. Bayrock Resources was seeking to complete a $12 million IPO at the time of print to of critical metals,” he said.
But Spain is no longer fund battery metals exploration in Sweden “I think the biggest thing
the poster child for the being pushed for, which
metal as up to 85% of the world’s supply and environmental considerations. is coming from ERMA,
today comes from China, which also con- “We are hoping one of the positives com- is looking to elevate some of the approval
sumes half of that produce with Russia, ing out from all of the geopolitical risk is an mechanisms because that’s where a lot of
Vietnam and greater Eastern Europe add- acceleration of all [pro-mining] policies. If things are being bogged down.
ing to the supply which eventually ends up there’s anything that’s going to highlight the “Our projects, for example, are approved
being exported. risk of critical minerals supply, the invasion locally in Galicia, so there’s no strategic
In 2021, up to 8,500t of raw tungsten was of Ukraine should do that because we’re oversight. So if you have critical metals, that
consumed in Europe and 20% of that was seeing it across all sorts of commodities. are critical to the whole Spanish economy,

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